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No. 606,840. Patented July 5, I898. 1. H. HUGHES & 1. T. MUSGRUVE.

GEAR CASE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1895.)

3 Sheets$heet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 606,840. Patented July 5, I898. IQH. HUGHES & 1. T. musenovz.

GEAR CASE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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, v Patented July 5, I898. 1. H. HUGHES & 1. T. MUVSGROVE.

GEAR CASE.

(Application filed Mar. 29, 1898.)

3 Shoets8heet 3.

(No Model.)

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JOSEPH HENRY HUGHES AND JOHN THOMAS MUSGROVE, or BIRMINGHAM,

ENGLAND.

GEAR-cask:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,840, dated July 5, 1898. Application filed March 29, 1898. Serial No. 675,564. (No model.)

To all whom it may concerm' I Be it known that we, JOSEPH HENRY HUGHES, works manager, of Aston Junction, Aston J uxta, and JOHN THOMAS MUSGROVE, mechanic, of 53 Oolville road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Cases and in the Manufacture of the Same, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention has for its object improvements in gear-cases and in the manufacture of the same, by which we are enabled to easily and readily obtain access to the driving-chain without detaching the main body of the gear.-

case and also to materiallyreduce the cost of manufacture.

In carrying our invention into practice we form the back or main body or frame of our gear-case out of a metal blank by suitable tools, the rear end or portion which fits around the hub sprocket-wheel being made detachable, or this portion of the frame of the case may be made from a separate metal blank. The center portion'of this frame is cut away and a division or bridge piece or frame fixed thereto soas to separate the top and bottom portions of the driving-chain." Suitable provision is also made for the bracket-Spindle and hub-spindle to revolve in. The front portion of our gear-case we form in two parts, either from celluloid, 'tin, or'other metal or material,the outer edges of which fit into grooves formed on the edges of the main portion or frame, and the inner edges are held in position by strips of metal which are secured to the center bridge-piece and an adjustable slide. Fixed at thefront end of this center bridge-piece is a strut or stay to which an adjustable clip is secured for fixingthe gear-case to the frame of the cycle. The clip which holds the rear portion of the gear-case is also adjustable and may be provided with means for regulating the position of the gear-case.

In order that our invention may be clearly understood and easilycarried into practical effect we have appended hereunto three sheets of drawings, upon which we have illustrated examples of our improved gear-case.

' ready for being withdrawn.

Figure l is a front elevation of our gearcase complete. Fig. 2 is a part front elevation showing the end detached and the celluloid front removed. Fig. 3 is a back view of Fig. 1. Fig. lis a front elevation of the body portion, which is formed in one piece. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line a Z) of Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line soy of Fig. 2, with a portion of the clip R detached. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1, taken on the line 1 2. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the slide E. Fig. 9 is a plan View of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the clip B. Fig. 11 is a similar view to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of our gear-case. Fig. 12 is a similar view to Fig. 11,

showing the front part J moved in position Fig. 13 is an enlarged cross-Sectional view of Fig. 11 taken, on the line 3 4. p i

In carrying our invention into practice we form the back or main body or frame A of our gear-case out of a metal blank or sheet of metal by suitable tools, so as to raise the sides and one end. The edges to of these sides and the one end are then turned over at right angles, so as to form an inwardly-turned flange. The slot a is then'cut in the center of the back or base of this frame, extending from the open end about three parts the way up. The slot then closes in or narrows and is then formed partially circular for the boss or spindle of the bottom bracket sprocket-wheel to pass through, as clearly shown at Fig. 4.. A strip of metal 0, is then secured under the flange a, so as to form a recess or groove all round the interior of the sides. We then secure the division or parting strips B partly around the edges of the larger portion of the slot 0. so as to separate the top and bottom portions of the driving-chain, the edges b of these parting-strips being flanged over at right angles, the end .piece "b being also flanged over. Fitted into the narrow part of the slot a is the inwardly-curved p'or'tionbi, which fits partly around the back forks of' the cycleframe. 011 the end of the .caseA where the parting-strips finish we secure" the .pieces D, provided with the grooves 01, into which the slide E fits. One end of this slide is bentover at right angles and is provided with the side pieces 6, which fit against the parting-strips, thus entirely closing this end of the partingstrips. The other end of the slide E is formed with the slots 6 and c. The slot 6 is for the spindle of the wheel to pass through, and the slot e,which is formed on the side of the slide, is provided for the back stay screw or nut to pass through. 011 the opposite side of the case A we form the grooves f*, in which the slide F fits, this slide being provided so as to fit around a portion of the hub of the wheel for preventing dust and dirt from entering, the other portion being inclosed by the slide F, which fits partly into the grooves and partly into the grooves 7L, formed on the end piece II. This end piece, which fits onto the parts (I and is held in position by the thumbscrews 7L2 and hientirel y incloses the sprocketwheel 011 the rear wheel of the eylele, thus completely surrounding the driving-chain and sprocket-wheels. The front portion or face of our gear-case is formed in two parts J and J, either from celluloid, tin, or other metal or material. In the example shown on the drawings we have formed the front of celluloid, the outer edges of which fit into the groove formed around the edge a of the case A, and areheld in position by the screws Z. The inner edges of the parts J and J, which fit around the flanges Z) of the partingstrips, are held in position by the L-shaped strips N N, which are secured to the partingstrips by the screws 01 but the inner edges of the parts J and J, which overlap each other, are held in position by the hook-shaped clips N 11 The hole a is provided for the spindle of the bracket to pass through. The front parts J and J may be formed in one piece,the outer edges fitting under the grooves or recesses a and the center portions being held by the strips N and N.

Fixed between the parting-strips 13 at the front end of the case is the strut or stay I, provided with the slots 1)", through which the ends of the clip R pass. This clip is formed trough-shaped, the ends which pass through the strut or stay 1 being screw-threaded. Fitted into these ends of the clip between the stay and the clip is the adjusting-piece S, formed with a hollow or other shape on its inner surface, as clearly shown at Fig. 10. This adjusting-piece is provided so as to e11- able the gear-case to be fixed to any velocipede, as the chain-lines vary in different builds of machines, and when necessary, by reducing the thickness of this block the gearcase can be brought exactly over the center of the sprocket-wheels.

The strut or stay T, which is fixed between the parting-strips at the opposite end, is provided so as to support that end of the gearcase.

In the modification as shown at Figs. 11, 12, and 13 we dispense with the loose L- shaped strips N and N, and underneath the flanged edges 1) of the parting-strips 13 we secure the flanges I)", thus forming a groove between the edges 1) and the flanges b", into which the front portions or face J and J of the gear-case fit. The ends of the flanged edges 1) are cut away, so as to leave spaces Zf between the end piece I) and these edges, so as to allow the front portions to be withdrawn, and in order to withdraw these front portions the end is pushed forward and then drawn from under the edge a into the position as shown at Fig. 12. lVhen the front portions J and J have been fitted into the grooves, they are secured in position by the screws 5. The parts of the front portions which fit around the spindle of the back wheel of the cycle are cut away, and the grooves 7; are formed on or near the edge,into which the slides K and K fit. These slides, which are formed at their inner ends so as to fit around the back-wheel spindle, are dished inward for strengthening purposes, and when these slides are fitted into the grooves W, as shown at Fig. 11, they form an additional security for holding the front portions firmly in position.

In some cases we may corrugate the sides of the body or frame A, as clearly shown at Fig. 13, which materially adds to the strength of this part of the gear-case.

e claim-- 1. In combination, the body portion formed of a single piece of sheet metal having alaterally-turned edge provided with an inwardlyextending flange, said body portion having aslotted center, a strip secured to the body portion parallel with the inwardly-turned edges and forming a groove or channel, partingstrips secured at the edges of said slotted center, and a divided front portion having its outer edges connected with the parting-strips, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the body portion formed of a single piece of sheet metal havingalaterally-turned edge provided with an inwardlyextending flange, said body portion being slotted for a portion of its length, a strip sccured to said body portion parallel with the inwardly-turned flange forming a groove or channel, parting-strips secured to the edges of the slotted portion, and a two-part front portion having its outer edges seated in said groove or channel and its inner edges connected with the parting-strips, the portions of said two-part front portion forward of the slotted portion being overlapped and secured, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the body portion having a slotted central portion, and having a laterally-turned outeredge provided with a groove or channel, parting-strips seen red at the edges of said slotted portion and having grooves or channels opposite the groove or channel in the body portion, said grooves or channels in the parting-strips terminating in advance of the end of the slotted portion to provide ICO IIO

spaces 6 and the front havingits edges seated side of said recess, and slides K and K inin the said grooves or channels, substantially serted in said guides, substantially as deas described. scribed.

4. In combination, the body portionhaving In Witness whereof We have hereunto set I5 5 the partially-slotted center and having slots our hands in presence of two Witnesses.

or channels at the outer and inner edges, the JOSEPH HENRY HUGHES front portion formed in two parts and havin 1 its edges seated in said grooves or channel: JOHN rlHOMAS MUSGROVE and having overlapping portions with a slot \Vitnesses: 10 or recess therein for the bicycle crank-shaft, GEORGE LESTER, guides carried by said front portions on each E. S. FRIEND. 

